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A stop at the drive-thru is tempting on busy nights when you need a quick meal, but the nutritional value of most fast food menu items is poor. The lack of nutrition in most fast food choices makes them an occasional treat rather than a regular part of your diet. Perhaps some of the most shocking nutritional facts about certain fast food items will encourage you to think twice next time you head for the drive-thru.

Fat and Calories

One of the most shocking facts about fast food is the staggering amount of fat and calories certain menu items contain. More specifically, many fast food options contain trans fats, which are the worst fats for your health. Trans fats increase your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol, and you should restrict them from your diet. This is more difficult if you eat fast food on a regular basis. French fries, onion rings and other fried menu items can contain 5 or more grams of trans fat per serving. Equally as shocking is the saturated fat content of certain foods. The Burger King Double Whopper contains a whopping 33 grams of saturated fat, much more than you should eat for an entire day. A taco salad from Taco Bell sounds healthy, but contains almost 16 grams of saturated fat.

Sugar

A diet that contains too much sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity. Soda is one of the worst offenders. A 12-ounce soda can contain as much as 40 grams of sugar, which is about 10 teaspoons. Many restaurants offer sodas as large as 64 ounces, which translates to about 200 grams of sugar. You should limit your intake of added sugar to between 6 and 9 grams per day, MayoClinic.com reports. Drink a soda from a fast food restaurant and you've already consumed far more than that. Shakes are equally as shocking. A medium vanilla shake from Burger King contains 46.33 grams of added sugar. Other restaurants offer shakes with closer to 55 grams of added sugar.

Sodium

Another shocking nutrition fact about fast food is the amount of sodium that certain items contain. The safe upper limit for sodium consumption is between 1,500 milligrams and 2,300 milligrams per day, MayoClinic.com reports. Many fast food items contain more than that in just one meal. A Burger King double whopper with cheese contains 1,544 milligrams of sodium and a large order of fries from McDonald's contains about 350 milligrams. A serving of Wendy's chicken nuggets contains 679 milligrams. Even the vanilla shake at Burger King contains a staggering amount of sodium with close to 400 milligrams in a medium shake.

Tips

It is possible to eat a meal at a fast food restaurant without going overboard with fat, sugar or sodium. Choose small orders of fries and plain hamburgers without the cheese to reduce both fat and sodium content. A side salad, order of fresh fruit or a plain baked potato in place of french fries is another way to make your fast food meal healthier. Opt for water or unsweetened iced tea in place of soda or a shake to cut added sugar from your meal. Low-fat sub sandwiches or full-size salads with low-fat dressing are additional options that are significantly lower in fat, calories, sodium and sugar than traditional fast food fare.

About the Author

Sara Ipatenco has taught writing, health and nutrition. She started writing in 2007 and has been published in Teaching Tolerance magazine. Ipatenco holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education, both from the University of Denver.